Blackburn awards celebrate ex-addicts’ lives (From Blackburn Citizen)

Blackburn awards celebrate ex-addicts’ lives

1:37pm Friday 20th November 2009

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FORMER addicts who have turned their lives around were honoured at an awards ceremony.

The renowned Those On The Margins Of A Society programme, known as THOMAS, is based at Witton Bank, Blackburn.

Yesterday friends and relatives of people who have been through the programme crammed into the council chamber at Blackburn town hall for the annual prizegiving.

Some of the group had gone on to gain professional qualifications, while others helped new recruits at the centre.

One of the recipients, 41-year-old David Fox, has overcome drug and alcohol problems and is now studying for a psychology degree at Blackburn College University Centre, earning the nickname ‘Dr Fox’ at the centre.

Speaking after he receiving an achievement award, he said: “It’s not the easiest thing I’ve done, but if you are focused you can do it.”

In his speech, Father Jim McCartney, the chief executive of THOMAS, accused some drug treat-ment agencies of ‘wast-ing public money’, claiming sending addicts to prison made problems worse.

He said: “There is an incompetence at strategic level, and people need to be held to account for the decisions being taken.

“Recovery doesn’t take a lot of money, if the culture is right. And when the culture is right, change is possible.

“We are seeing young people literally on the bring of death. You can’t just sweep this under the carpet.”

THOMAS, which follows a ‘total abstinence’ path to recovery, has also launched operations in Blackpool and Salford.

One by one, the 12 award winners were call-ed to the front to be presented with a scroll by Father Jim.

Two volunteers from a Ribchester church who regularly cook for the people at the centre were also honoured.

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